Box Score Middlebury's Kylie Quinlan became the 13th player in NCAA Tournament history to net a hat trick, as the top-ranked Panthers (25-0-0) recorded a 4-0 triumph over #8 Endicott in a quarterfinal contest Saturday in Kenyon Arena. With the win, Middlebury set a program record for consecutive wins at 25, while earning the right to host the final two rounds of the championship next weekend. The Panthers will face #3 Elmira on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the semifinals, while the 3:00 p.m. game features #2 Plattsburgh State State against fifth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus. This marks the first time since 2009 that Middlebury will serve as the host of the final two rounds. 

The Gulls concluded their successful season at 19-5-1.

Endicott had a good scoring chance just over six minutes into the game, as Samantha Fantasia skated up the left wing. She fired a rising shot from the circle that Panther goalie Sophia Merageas tipped with her catching glove, sending it wide of the net. Middlebury broke the scoreless tie with 6:05 showing on the clock when Endicott goalie Michaela O'Brien stopped Claudia Vira's bid from the right point, but Quinlan knocked in the rebound. Merageas made her best stop of the period moments later, using her blocker to turn away Kat Keith on a breakaway.

In the middle stanza, the hosts extended the advantage to 2-0, as Eva Hendrikson one-timed a shot from the right point that sailed through traffic and behind O'Brien with 2:45 expired. Shortly after the Panther goal, Merageas made a timely save on a shot from the right side with her skate to keep the difference at two. Middlebury made it a 3-0 game with 3:41 left in the frame, cashing in on a power play. Sabrina Kim fired a shot from the point that O'Brien denied, but Quinlan was parked on the right side of the crease to clean up the rebound.

Special teams played a key role for the Panthers in the final 20 minutes, as the hosts didn't allow on a shot on goal during an early Endicott power play. At the other end of the ice, Middlebury converted another opportunity with the player advantage with Quinlan capitalizing on another rebound to complete the hat trick with 7:02 remaining.

Merageas stopped all 20 shots she faced for her sixth shutout of the season, while O'Brien had 25 stops on 29 shots faced for the Gulls.

The Panthers were perfect on special teams going 2-2 on the power play and muting the only chance for Endicott.

Vira and Kim each had big games for Middlebury from the blue line, registering three assists each.

The shutout was the 11th overall for the Panthers this season, as they have held the opposition to one goal or less in 23 of their 25 games. The team leads the country in team defense, allowing 0.64 goals a contest and have yielded only 16 total all season. 
 

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